A Somali man who set his pregnant wife on fire in late January and killed her was sentenced to death on Wednesday by a court in the capital Mogadishu, bringing to an end a murder case that gripped the nation’s attention for nearly two months.
The victim, Luul Abdiaziz, has not yet been buried after her family insisted they would wait for justice before proceeding with her burial.
She was reportedly a mother of five from a previous marriage and was pregnant during her death.
Her husband, Sayid Ali, was arrested days after he set her on fire in Mogadishu as he tried to escape.
On Wednesday in court, he was found guilty of murder, sentenced to death and told he could appeal against the sentence, according to state-run news agency SONNA.
Ali admitted to starting the fire using petrol following a dispute with his wife but denied planning to kill her.
He claimed he wanted to burn only his personal items before moving out of their shared property.
His stepchildren testified against him in court.
Both Ali and the victim worked at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport where they had met, according to testimonies and court documents.
Luul’s father told journalists after the court sentencing that “she is waiting for her husband to be buried with her,” SONNA reported.
The case was widely covered by Somali media and the trial televised in its entirety, drawing attention for the gruesome nature of Luul’s death.
The killing raised discussion on gender-based violence in Somalia and sparked street protests.
It also generated a heated debate on social media over how the country’s legal system sometimes delays justice for victims.
The mayor of Mogadishu, Yusuf Jimale, has promised that Luul’s children will receive financial support.
There is no specific law in the Horn of African country against domestic violence.
